Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) is setting aside $ 2.75 million from federal stimulus for pay off unpaid balances at least 3,500 students, giving them the chance to register this fall.

The effort is an effort to attract more students to return to campus after the community college saw a 24% drop in enrollments due to the pandemic.

“Our students, most of whom receive some financial assistance, have been hit very hard,” said the CCP president. Donald generals Told The inspector. “They have been affected in terms of education, life, family and employment.

“We try as much as possible to clear the path to higher education for these students. We cannot allow an entire generation of students to lose momentum towards graduation, ”he explained.

The funds will be used to cover overdue textbook and tuition fees. Only students enrolled in the CCP between March 13, 2020 and the end of the spring semester 2021 will be eligible for debt relief.

According to the senior vice president of the American Council on Education, Terry hartle, the relief from Community College of Philadelphia is “exactly” what Congress had in mind when it allocated its federal stimulus package. “It allows thousands of people to continue their college education when they could not have done it otherwise,” he told the Investigator.

Debt Relief Movement

Several colleges and universities have chosen to use millions of funds to ease the heavy financial burden on students, whether through federal stimulus assistance or private donations.

South Carolina State University recently announced that it will allocate $ 9.8 million to write off 2,500 student loan debt through the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan Act.

Yale School of Drama also decided to reduce graduate debt by no longer charging current and future students with tuition fees following a $ 150 million donation from the billionaire David Geffen